Osu Kannon

Osu Kannon, formally Hoshoin Kitanozan Shinpukuji, is the most visited temple in central Nagoya and the anchor of the Osu shopping district. The vermillion main hall, rebuilt in 1970 after a fire, sits at the western edge of a covered arcade network that stretches for several blocks. Pigeons swirl in the temple plaza; market stalls set up on the 18th and 28th of each month selling antiques, second-hand kimono and street food.

Behind the temple bell, you can step straight into Niomon-dori arcade — the most active of the Osu corridors — and lose an afternoon to vintage camera shops, manga stores, kebab stands, takoyaki counters, and the city's largest selection of second-hand kimono. The Osu Kannon subway station (Tsurumai line) deposits you at the temple's front gate.

things to do sight osu
A story
The temple's library holds the oldest existing manuscript copy of the Kojiki, Japan's foundational chronicle, dating to 1372. The original Osu Kannon was further west — Ieyasu had it moved here in 1612 because the riverside location flooded so often that the monks could not keep the manuscripts dry. The temple's bell still rings the hours, but the surrounding arcades have entirely overtaken its religious functions.